Can You Tell Me 50 Things About Yourself?

How quickly can you think of 50 things about yourself, your life, your thoughts and your feelings?

This is a quick quiz. Don't think much. Just list 50 things about yourself. Try not to take too much time thinking about it. You may end up censoring your list. Okay, you can keep it private. There's no need to share it with anyone.

You may find the results quite inspiring and you may learn a thing or two about yourself that you never realized.

If your thoughts seem to appear at random, that’s okay. Don’t let that restrict you. Don’t judge and don’t censor your own thoughts. Just include them in your list as you think of them. It gets easier as you continue.

You might feel at first that you're stuck and can't think of things to include in the list. That doesn't mean that you don’t know yourself. You probably are subconsciously censoring yourself because you don't want to admit something.

Remember, you can keep your list a secret. Write down whatever creeps into your mind because those are the most honest things about yourself.

When you’re done, you might realize that there was nothing to hide. You are normal just like everyone else. Unique, yes, we all are. The items in your list may give you some new insight into things about your life that you want to change.

Maybe focus more on certain things. Or maybe reduce your attention to other things that you realize are not working for you. That is, you are not getting any satisfaction out of it. Many times we waste precious time, sometimes years, doing things that become part of our life and we really don’t like those things. Or people.

Yes, people. Have you considered that you might have a friend or two who are not really your style? You have nothing in common with them and you are friends because of some kind of connection. Such as having known them since high school. And you went on to make something of yourself and they didn’t. But you remain friends anyway.

This list of 50 things about you may awaken you to these weak links in your social life that need to be adjusted.

You are better than you have allowed your life to become. You deserve more. You have earned it. But at the same time you allow less to be part of you. Why?

The things you listed about yourself may give you a clue. I hope this quiz will trigger a turning-point for a different life ahead. You have a good life now, no doubt. But you may find that you want to make some changes and improve your good life even more…to be an even better life.

Alright, so here’s my list. I know you were wondering about it…

1. I am a self-learner.
2. I write when the emotion strikes.
3. I took two cruises and loved it.
4. I once raised a squirrel.
5. I used to like the snow when I was a kid, not anymore.
6. I had worked at two major corporations.
7. I feel other people’s pain.
8. I draw doodles when I feel creative.
9. I had organized a community service team when I was 17.
10. I once bread hundred’s of tropical fish.
11. I earned a Master’s Degree in Computer Science and later realized I should have majored in business.
12. I like hiking and discovering nature.
13. I can’t deal with cats or dogs in my home but I love all animals.
14. I built a computer five years before IBM came out with the PC.
15. I started my own business when I was 31.
16. I wish I stayed employed instead…for the health insurance benefits.
17. I almost married a girl with bipolar. Actually one of the best.
18. I self-published two books.
19. I design and maintain my own website for my business.
20. I enjoy philosophical talks with friends who can relate.
21. I lost touch with friends from college.
22. I feel that the best years of my life are behind me.
23. I believe that the best years are ahead.
24. I created a voice mail dating service in 1990.
25. I produced my own radio spots for advertising.
26. I once walked 18 miles in one day.
27. I once nursed a wild bird with a broken wing back to health.
28. I remained 165 pounds ever since I was 18.
29. I had a mustache in my twenties, but never since.
30. I used to develop my own photos (long before digital).
31. I made titles with animation for my home movies in the ’60s.
32. I separated water into hydrogen and oxygen.
33. I once took apart and rebuilt my carburetor in a ’68 Chevy.
34. I’ve been beaten up in elementary school for not giving my seat to a bully.
35. I took some friends for a hike in camp when I was 13 and got lost in the woods.
36. I had a few articles published in national trade magazines back in the ’80s.
37. I lost touch with some really good friends.
38. I have always kept my word.
39. I have always made an effort to be on time.
40. I started having tinnitus when I was 55.
41. I get perturbed when intelligent friends spell “a lot” as one word.
42. I remember melodies better than the lyrics.
43. I like singing Karaoke.
44. I once dated a girl 16 years younger than me.
45. I once dated another girl 10 years older.
46. I am a problem solver.
47. I am a survivor.
48. I always remain motivated.
49. I left many things out of this list.
50. I wish I had planned 50 things 50 years ago.

Well, that wasn’t so hard! I basically did it without thinking very much. At least I tried not to. The main idea is to write your list about yourself from your subconscious as much as you can. Otherwise you’ll limit it to things you feel okay about. And you’ll fool yourself about all the rest.

Remember that you don’t need to share it with anyone. I chose to anyway, but you don’t need to. You’ll bring out new discoveries about yourself if you allow your list to be as natural and uncensored by your conscious mind as possible.

I’ve discovered from my list that I’m not so bad. How about you? What have you learned from your list?

Copyright © 2011 Glenn Stok